Improvement in vineyard-plows



' the opposite side from the land-side.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

MILTON ROSS, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN VINEYARD-FLOWS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 204,998, dated June 18,1878 application filed April 10, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MILTONROSS, of San J os, county of Santa Clara, andState of Cali? fornia, have invented an Improved Vineyard. Plow; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawmg.

My invention relates to that class of vinef yard-plows in which the rearend of the plowbeam is adjustable, so as to throw the forward end of thebeam either to or from the land side, for the purpose of clearing thedoubletrees from the vines or other growing stalks near which it isdesired to plow, and it is especially applicable to my vineyard-plowpatented July 6, 1875.

It consists of a novel application of adjustable handles swiveled to amovable bar, in combination with an adjustable beam mounted on a crankpin or pivot, and in combination with a draft-bar.

It also consists of a method of locking and holding the various parts inproper position for ordinary or vineyard plowing, and wherever it isdesired to plow close to the growing vines, trees, or plants, &c.

Referring to the accompanying drawing for a more complete explanation ofmy invention, the figure is a perspective view.

A is the mold-board of the ordinary construction, having a land-side,near the rear end of which is fixed the standard B for supporting thehandles, the other standard B being bolted to the rear end of themold-board on The standards are curved inward, so as not to interferewith vines or standing stalks. On top of these standards B are twoplates or bars, 0, placed a short distance apart, with their inner edgesbeveled, as shown, and a corresponding bar, D, with the edges beveled inan opsite direction, so as to form a dovetail, slides laterally betweenthe two bars 0. The movable barD is longer than the plates or bars 0,and through its center passes a bolt, to which is pivoted the curvedbeam E supporting the handles F. This curved beam is pivoted to the rearpart of the mold-board, so as to admit of a lateral motion to the beam.To the rear end of the beam E are fastened the handles F, which arepivoted so as to admit of a vertical motion.

A key or pin, Gr, passes through slots in the sides of the lower ends ofthe handles into the sides of the rear end of the beam E, so as tosecure the handles in position. This construction admits of theplow-handles being moved up or down by means of the pivot in the beam Eto suit the convenience of the plowman, and the handles may than be se.cured at the right height or inclination by means of the pin G passingthrough the slots in the handles into the beam. This beam E beingpivoted to the laterally-sliding bar D on top of the standards, andbeing pivoted at its front end to the rear part of the mold-board,

as stated, and also having the handles attached to its rear end, thehandles maybe slid or moved to one side or the other of the standards,so that the plowman may be out of the way of the vines or standingstalks. The beam E, passin g between the upright standards B, and beingpivoted to the sliding bar D, prevents the bar or the handles from goingtoo far either way, and a pin or bolt through the rear end of the floorbeam, and through a slot in either end of the sliding bar D, holds it inthe required position. I

In order that the draft on the plow may be direct in either position ofthe handles, the fioorbeam H is also arranged so as to be movedlaterally over the mold-board. In order to accomplish this, at the innerforward edge of the mold-board A, I form two legs, on which are mounteda crank, I, so arranged as to act as a swivel, and in the upper forwardend of this crank I is a bolt which secures the beam H, but which allowsthe beam to swing laterally. The rear end of the plow-beam is crookedtoward the mold-board side of the plow, so as to bring the draft of thebeam out of the central line of the furrow, thus permitting the animalattached to the plow to walk between the trees or vines without scrapingthem.

The same floor-beam His mounted on the crank I as in my former patent,so that the middle and forward end of the beam can be shifted to or fromthe point of the floor, as described.

The rear end of the beam has several holes to correspond with holes onthe ends of the sliding bar D, and one in the center of the forward ofthe two stationary plates or bars 0, through which a pin, J, is dropped,to secure the beam in any required position. When it is desired, forinstance, to plow close to vines or standing stalks on the land-side ofthe plow, the handles are slid to the opposite sides by means of thecurved beam to which the handle is attached, being also attached to thesliding plate or bar D. Then the plowbeam H is pushed laterally to thesame side as the handles, the pivoted crank I admitting of this action.The pin or bolt J is then dropped through the hole in the rear end ofthe plow-beam and the corresponding hole in the outer end of the slidingbar D, which keeps the beam D and handles F in position on themold-board side of the plow. By removing the pin J the handles and beammay be turned to the other side of the plow, and there secured in thesame manner. Although by this peculiar construction the beam H has aforward-back motion, as well as a lateral one, the position of thedraft-bar is not altered thereby, and the team remains at the samedistance from the plow-point.

When it is desired to use this plow for work in the fields where thereare no vines or stalks liable to injury, the beam and handles may besecured in the center by dropping the pin J through the rear end of thefloor-beam, when it will fall through the hole in the forward plate (3,and also engage in a hole in the center of the curved beam E, thusholding the floorbeam, curved beam, and handles on the center portion.They are still more securely locked in this position by dropping thelocking-pin K through the plow-beam into a hole on the crank I, on whichit rests, which prevents any lateral motion of the plow-beam. A rod ordraft-bar, L, is attached to the upper part of the moldboard of thelower part of the crank-pin I, and passesloosely throughaneyeboltontheforward part of the under side of the plow-beam H, the

horses being attached to the other end of the rod.

By this means, no matter which side of the plow the beam may be, thedraft is maintained in the center, and the strain is taken from. thecrank on which the beam is mounted.

From the construction described it will be seen that my plow ismaterially improved, and that, while answering as an ordinary plow, itmay also be used in vineyards, where it is necessary to work close tothe vines without troubling them. By the peculiar movement of theplow-beam the horses are enabled to walk far enough from the vines so asnot to touch them, while at the same time they have a center draft; and,as the handles are also capable of being shifted to either side, theplowman can also walk clear of the vines or standing stalks, while he isalso always directly behind the horses and in a position to guide theplow. The handles, being adjustable vertically, can be arranged indifferent position, so as to suit the height of the plowman, or may belowered, so as to pass under projecting limbs, if thought necessary. Theplow is thus useful for work in vineyards, orchards, cotton-fields, orwherever it is desired to plow close to the growing vines, trees,plants, or

. shrubs, and in an open field as an ordinary j plow.

Having thus described my invention, what i I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The transverse guide-bars (3, havingthe bar D moving between them, in'combination with the curved beam E,pivoted at its front end, and having the handles F secured to its rearend, substantially as shown, and for the purpose herein described.

2. The beam E, pivoted at its front end, united to the laterally-slidingbar 1), as shown, and having the handles F attached to its rear end, incombination with the plow-beams H and crank I and locking-pins J and K,or equivalent device, substantially as shown, and for the purpose hereindescribed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal. y

MILTON ROSS. [L. s.] Vvitnesses FRANK A. BROOKS, WALTER O. BEATIE.

